MS Network & Server Operating Systems dominate the corporate community. 'Windows' Server is used as the standard operating platform in approximately eighty to ninety per cent of all networked offices. Naturally various updates have happened - the initial 'NT' Server turned into 2000, then 2003 and today 2008. A large number of companies still utilise Server 2003 as their operating platform, and do not plan to switch. It's more likely that installation up-grades to 'Server 2008' will end up being required by companies that need to by pass a generation or two, from 'NT' or '2000'. Further information about Server 2003 and 'Server 2008' is available on our specific MCSE & MCSA training web pages, where you will also discover more about MS Network and Server Operating-Systems.

Good user skills can be developed through selected Microsoft certification paths, & commercial support skill-sets through others. To find out about Office 2003 ('XP') check out MOS - Microsoft Office Specialist. For 'Office' 2007 ('Vista') skills choose 'MCAS' - Microsoft Certified Application Specialist. The 'MCDST' ('Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician') takes this on to the next level, to ensure that you're qualified to support other people.

You might also be considering a more technical job within the I.T. market, which would mean rather more in depth and technical Microsoft accreditation study. Microsoft have recently revamped their certification structure, & whilst there are still many routes based on the MCP accreditations, we're more and more seeing the move to MCITP ('Microsoft Certified IT Professional') & MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist) packages. Generally, the MCTS certifications are taken en-route to a full MCITP program.

Workshops are often touted as a great facet by a lot of certification companies. After chatting with many IT hopefuls who've attended a few, you'll begin to see a common thread - they are viewed as a difficulty to be 'got round' due to many reasons:

- The amount of travel required - many visits and often hundreds of miles a time.

- Monday to Friday accessibility with workshops can be usual, and getting two to three days out of work can represent quite a problem for many working people.

- The majority of us discover twenty days annual leave isn't enough by far. Spend over half of it for educational days and see how much more difficult it makes things.

- Taking into account the costs associated with delivering a workshop, a lot of training providers really push the size of the class - not ideal (and with less one-on-one time).

- You may prefer to move at a pace that is different to the other class members. This can create classic classroom tension.

- Most students tell us of the considerable cost of travelling back and forth to the training centre whilst paying for accommodation and food gets very expensive.

- It's important to maintain privacy. We should never risk giving up any lift up the ladder at our current place of work just because we're retraining.

- Posing questions in the presence of other class-mates will often make any one of us a little uncomfortable. Would you admit that you've occasionally avoided posing a question just because you were worried it might make you look silly?

- Usually, events are pretty much undoable, if you live away for days at a time.

Surely it makes a lot more sense to be taught at a time that's convenient for you - not the school - and use virtual lab environments with videos of your instructors. Consider... Utilising a laptop you can study in any location you choose. And 24x7 support is just a web-browser away in case of difficulty. Irrespective of how regularly you want to re-do a section, video-based teachers won't ever lose patience! Also, because of this, you don't have to worry about any note-taking. Everything is there for quick access. Even though this won't avoid any normal learning difficulties, it undeniably makes things easier, simpler and less stressful. You've also got less travel, hassle and costs.

CompTIA Hardware Support Online CBT PC Training Courses >>